Approved 08/17/04
TOWN OF HAMPDEN, MASSACHUSETTS
BOARD OF SELECTMEN/HEALTH
August 3, 2004
Town Hall, 625 Main Street, Hampden, MA 01036
Meeting was called to order at 7:15 pm.
Present: Duane E. Mosier, James D. Smith, Mark R. Barba
Doug Farmer (Wilbraham/Hampden Times)
The Board of Selectmen read a letter from the Minnechaug Land Trust stating that the Rauscher family would like a bench placed on Minnechaug Mountain in Devon’s memory. Minnechaug Land Trust is seeking the Board’s approval and requests the Highway Department to perform the actual installation of the bench. James Smith stated that it should be made known that when the lifespan of such donations expire, the town will not be liable for its replacement or repair. The Board agreed to approve this request and will direct Dana Pixley, Highway Superintendent, to install the bench at his discretion and as his schedule allows.
The Board reviewed the Meeting Minutes of July 6, 2004. James moved to approve the minutes as corrected and Mark seconded. Vote: James Smith: Yes, Mark Barba: Yes. Duane abstained due to absence from said meeting.
Meeting Minutes of July 20, 2004 was also reviewed. The Board decided not to approve it until certain portions are rewritten and simplified.
APPOINTMENTS:
Mr. Hufnagel of Verizon presented a petition to place one jointly owned pole on the westerly side of North Street, starting at a point approximately 4,037 feet in a southerly direction from the centerline of Burleigh Road. This pole will provide electrical and telephone services to new house number 298. The abutters have been notified and no objections were encountered.
James Smith moved to approve the petition for the pole numbered T, 42 ˝ / E.42 as requested. Duane seconded. All were in favor and so it was voted.
Dana Pixley,
Highway Superintendent, Vincent
Mandolini – resident
Dana Pixley stated that Mr. Mandolini has been in the Board of Selectmen meetings two times in the past to present his complaint about the drainage problem on Fernwood Drive. The Board said they wanted to hear Dana’s assessment of the situation. Dana presented a summary of the work record that the Highway Department has done on Fernwood Drive. He stated that Mr. Mandolini’s concern about the pipe being deteriorated and the sediment backing up to a point where it needs to be cleaned are valid. However, it is still marginally functioning and has not failed to the point where it allows water to flow to the wetlands resource area. Dana said that he approached Beth DeSousa of Advisory regarding this matter 2 years ago when he was trying to put together his capital items. Together, they did a field inspection and Dana showed Beth the deterioration. She acknowledged the problem and Dana did all the paperwork, but with the budget cuts, it didn’t pass. The last time it was cleaned was in 1982 and marginal repair was done. Dana stated that to clean and repair this drainage problem, DEP will need to review it and the Town will incur costs for environmental services due to the proximity of conservation area. He estimates that the work will cost approximately $25K to clean it and another $10K for environmental work. Sooner or later, the Town will have to bear this financial burden. Right now, he doesn’t think it is imperative since it is still functioning. He also mentioned that there are three other areas in town that have similar drainage problems.
Mr. Mandolini expressed his frustration with the fact that nothing is being done about the problem and that there is no effort being put to making this a priority and that there is no schedule set to address it. Meanwhile, affected backyards are getting fouler due to the buildup of silt. He also expressed his frustrations with the way the Town is spending its money, i.e. paying for $60,000 for the Recreation Department instead of running it using volunteers, like it used to be.
The Board explained that the Highway Superintendent brings forward each year a list of critical projects that go through a budget review process. Some of them make it and some don’t. A Capital Planning Committee has been formed and is in the process of meeting will be addressing long-term capital needs. Roadway infrastructure is one of them. All recommendations go through the annual budget process and if there is no money for them, they will not get done. For the past 2 years, the Town has voted down the Proposition 2 ˝ , which addressed these issues.
The Board urged Mr. Mandolini to attend town meetings and budget meetings so he can express his concerns and be heard. The board will send Mr. Mandolini a reminder in January so he can attend the Budget Planning Meeting.
Diane Mackie, Rick
Ruben, Jim Mackie, Mark Giza, Andrea Berthaud – The Theater Guild of Hampden
Mark Giza, together with his board of Directors, introduced the Theater Guild of Hampden, a volunteer group, whose purpose is to develop youth and adults of Hampden in live theater. They plan to accomplish this by producing two plays annually, one youth and one adult musical. The guild would like to use the Hampden Town Hall Auditorium for its home base for all productions and for as many rehearsals as possible. The first musical planned is Guys and Dolls, all cast with youth players. Auditions will be held in April of 2005 and the production dates are planned as Sept 23,24,25,30 and Oct 1 of 2005. The production will be funded with fundraisers and grant proposals. After the first production, the Guild intends to retain seed money for the next production and for any capital expenses that will be incurred for the next few productions. The rest of the money will benefit the Thornton W. Burgess music department and the Wilbraham Hampden Academic Trust (W.H.A.T.). The following productions will benefit other areas in the Town of Hampden.
The Guild is flexible with the venue for their rehearsals but will definitely need to use the Town Hall stage and Melville room the week before the actual performances and the week of the performances.
The concept was welcomed by the Board with excitement. The Board will investigate how the request for space will work out given its current demand for town meetings and activities. The board will ask the Guild to come back on the Sept. 7 Board of Selectmen meeting with more details as to their requirements.
Dana Gahres –
Hampden House and Atty. Ken Albano
In conjunction with the newly adopted Smoke-Free Workplace Law, Atty. Ken Albano and Dana Gahres wanted to keep the board informed that they planned to place a few chairs and small tables in a designated area outside the Hampden House, to accommodate their patrons who wish to smoke. Since the designated area is away from any doors to the inside of the restaurant, the smoke will not migrate to the enclosed dining area. Atty. Ken Albano also stated that Mr. Gahres is aware of the fact that alcoholic beverages cannot be served or consumed in this smoking area, based on the liquor license that they currently hold. Mr. Gahres assured the Board that it is not be a problem to police and enforce this.
After reviewing the Smoke-Free Workplace Law and pertinent materials from the Board of Health, the Board of Selectmen acknowledged that the Hampden House appeared to be in compliance with the smoking regulations and would be allowed to set up small tables and chairs in the proposed designated area for the purpose of accommodating smoking patrons of the restaurant.
OTHER TOPICS:
The Board read a memo from Beth Burger, Chairperson of the Hampden Free Public Library, stating that they have filed a Letter of Intent to apply for a Planning and Design Grant for a new library building with the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, and that they wish to invite the Board of Selectmen to attend their next trustees meeting, to be held on August 11 at 5:30pm. In this meeting, the Board of Selectmen will be briefed with as much information as is available about the process and plans. The trustees will also want to know from the Board during that time, what property, if any, may already be owned by the town which could be used to accommodate a new building.
Mark Barba or James Smith will attend this meeting.
Mark Barba asked the Board to revisit the subject of the Rotary Signs. He stated that he supports the organization and recognizes their many contributions to the community. It was only the proposed location that he did not agree with. If another location is proposed, he is willing to consider it again.
James Smith stated that he finds the purpose of such signs perplexing and considers them as road clutter as they have a tendency to proliferate. He thinks that roadway signs should only be for traffic purposes and that other ways of informing the community about civic organizations’ meetings should be explored.
The Board wants to support these
valuable organizations and not deny them public recognition. James Smith suggested that the annual Town
Report be used to inform the Town residents about various organizations’
meeting schedules and other information.
· 174 Wilbraham Road – Duane Mosier moved to accept the variance request from the Board of Health Agent for a reduction in separation between the SAS and high groundwater as presented in the plan dated 7/22/04. Mark seconded. All were in favor and so it was voted.
· 20 Middlefield Road – Duane Mosier moved to accept the variance as presented from the Board of Health Agent to reduce the distance from existing well to proposed system as presented in the plan dated 6/25/04. Mark seconded. All were in favor and so it was voted.
Bids will be out on August 18, 2004
Plastic bags are getting blown to neighboring properties. Beth Perkins, BOH Coordinator, will relay the message to Barry Maggio, Recycling Monitor.
Will be coming forward to inform the Board that the Town may be getting a large generator at no cost to the Town.
Motion to go into Executive Session to discuss last week’s IBPO meeting and upcoming negotiations with IBPO without return to open session.
Meeting adjourned at 9:40 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Beth Perkins